1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transaction record storing device for electronically recording the contents of transactions carried out in an automatic transaction machine installed in a bank or the like, and further relates to a transaction machine provided with functions of such a transaction record storing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a transaction such as deposit, withdrawal or transfer is performed in an automatic transaction machine such as an automatic tellers machine installed in a bank or the like, the contents of the performed transaction should be recorded as journal data (machine operation record data).
It was stipulated in a former law that the following conditions should be satisfied with respect to recordation of journal data:
To print on a paper medium an operation record in an automatic tellers machine.
To keep the printed paper medium for a predetermined time.
Therefore, every time a transaction occurs in an automatic tellers machine having a configuration as shown in FIG. 10, data indicative of the contents of the transaction is transferred from a control section 100 to a journal printer 450 where the transaction contents and an emboss image of a card used in the transaction are printed on journal paper P, and the printed journal paper P is preserved for a predetermined time in a bank or the like.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining an operation of the control section 100. The control section 100 comprises a communication control section 531, a transaction control section 501 and a journal data control section 541. The journal data control section 541 receives center information from the communication control section 531, transaction information such as a transaction time, a transaction item and a transaction amount from the transaction control section 501, and emboss image data on the surface of a card from a card unit 430, and edits them as journal data. Then, the journal data control section 541 confirms setting of the journal paper P via a paper runout detecting section (not shown) of the journal printer 450, and transfers the journal data to the journal printer 450 where the journal data is printed on the journal paper P.
According to the foregoing conventional technique, however, since the journal data should be printed on the journal paper P, when the journal paper P runs out, the machine is stopped in operation or the journal data control section 541 transfers the journal data to an external storage device such as a hard disk drive 810 for temporary storage therein until a new roll of journal paper P is supplemented. In the latter case, when the journal paper P is supplemented, the temporarily stored journal data is returned to the journal data control section 541 which then transfers the journal data to the journal printer 450 for printing on the journal paper P. When the printing is finished, the journal data stored in the external storage device is deleted.
Due to the foregoing constraint on the preserving manner of the journal data, the following problems have been raised:
As described above, the journal data is recorded and preserved on the paper medium. Thus, the journal printer 450 as well as the journal paper P are provided in the automatic tellers machine. Due to the sizes of the journal paper P and the machine, the number of printable transaction cases without supplementing the journal paper P can not be increased so much. Specifically, the number of printable transaction cases is about 2,000 per roll of the journal paper P and the machine has a space for only about two rolls of the journal paper P. Thus, if transactions are active, it is necessary that a clerk in charge manually supplements and recovers the journal paper P at frequent intervals.
Since the size of the journal paper P is large while the number of printable transaction cases per roll is not so large, an extensive space is required for keeping rolls of the journal paper P.
When the journal printer 450 is a thermal printer, the printed contents may become illegible due to aged deterioration.
When the journal data is temporarily stored in an external storage device such as the hard disk drive 810, if the external storage device is subjected to failure, the journal data is lost and can not be restored.
In consideration of the foregoing problems, the law has been revised to allow journal data to be preserved as electronic data. Still in this case, the following conditions should be satisfied:
 less than Guarantee of Truth greater than 
To make it possible to confirm a record of alteration, such as correction, deletion or addition, of data.
To keep a document about a history of computer processing (e.g. description as to when, where and how writing of data was performed).
 less than Guarantee of Visibility greater than 
To install an output device such as a display or a printer so that electronic data is visible.
To make it possible to retrieve data by setting a condition.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technique which can particularly satisfy the condition of the truth guarantee for preserving journal data as electronic data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique wherein a delay in storage speed caused by a property of a storage medium used for storing electronic journal data is prevented from affecting reception of sequentially generated electronic journal data.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique wherein even if storage of electronic journal data into a storage medium fails, the storage of the journal data can be ensured.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique which allows, while writing electronic journal data, reception of new electronic journal data so as to prevent stoppage of a transaction machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique which can enhance safety of data storage by preventing received new electronic journal data from being lost, particularly in an arrangement wherein while writing electronic journal data, reception of new electronic journal data is allowed.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transaction record storing device comprising a section for loading therein one of a first storage medium whose stored data is unalterable and a second storage medium which keeps its data alteration record, and for storing electronic journal data including at least transaction contents into the one of the first and second storage mediums.
Using such a first or second storage medium as a storage medium for the electronic journal data, a guarantee of the truth is ensured with respect to the electronic journal data stored therein. As such a storage medium, a CD-R or the like may be used.
It may be arranged that the first storage medium is an exchangeable storage medium into which the electronic journal data is written in a disk-at-once manner. Since the electronic journal data is written in the disk-at-once manner, the electronic journal data stored in the storage medium is unalterable.
It may be arranged that the second storage medium is an exchangeable storage medium into which new data is writable while stored data remains unchanged therein. In this case, the data may be written into the storage medium in a track-at-once or packet-write manner.
It may be arranged that given management data for identifying the one of the first and second storage mediums is recorded in advance as a header thereof. In this arrangement, the given data (e.g. serial number) which can be used for management of the storage medium is recorded in advance, such as upon production of the storage medium, as a header (e.g. volume label) of the storage medium. Thus, when the header includes such data not used for the medium management or when a plurality of headers having the same contents exist, it is known that an unfair practice has occurred. Accordingly, by managing the headers of the storage mediums, such an unfair practice can be found out quickly. Further, this arrangement facilitates retrieval of the preserved electronic journal data through easy identification of the required storage medium.
It may be arranged that given management data for identifying the one of the first and second storage mediums is recorded as a header thereof upon writing the electronic journal data thereinto. In this arrangement, the given management data is recorded upon writing the electronic journal data into the storage medium.
It may be arranged that given management data for identifying the one of the first and second storage mediums is recorded on a casing thereof after finishing writing of the electronic journal data thereinto. This facilitates easy identification of the required storage medium by, for example, printing a machine number and a medium number (serial number) on the surface of the casing of the storage medium.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transaction record storing device comprising an overwritable buffer means for temporarily storing electronic journal data including at least transaction contents; and a data writing means for loading therein one of a first storage medium whose stored data is unalterable and a second storage medium which keeps its data alteration record, and for reading the electronic journal data from the buffer means and writing the read electronic journal data into the one of the first and second storage mediums.
There is no particular limitation to a structure of the buffer means. It is preferable, however, that the buffer means is high in data write and read speed and may be a hard disk drive, an MO drive or the like. The buffer means is overwritable because the buffer means does not need to keep such electronic journal data that has been written into the storage medium, and because it is better to release an area of the buffer means to receive new electronic journal data therein.
It may be arranged that the data writing means reads the electronic journal data from the buffer means and writes the read electronic journal data into the first storage medium when a storage amount of the electronic journal data in the buffer means reaches a predetermined value or when an operator inputs a corresponding command, and that the buffer means is allowed to store new electronic journal data after writing of the electronic journal data into the first storage medium is finished. With this arrangement, even if the writing of the electronic journal data into the storage medium fails, the electronic journal data subjected to the writing is maintained in the buffer means. In this arrangement, the electronic journal data is read from the buffer means and written into the storage medium when the storage amount in the buffer means reaches the predetermined value. The reason is as follows: When, for example, the electronic journal data is written into the storage medium in the disk-at-once manner, the storage efficiency of the storage medium is reduced if the data is written into the storage medium in a small amount because a nonused area of the storage medium is wasted. As appreciated, there is no problem with respect to the arrangement wherein the electronic journal data is written into the storage medium in response to the corresponding command inputted by the operator.
It may be arranged that when the writing of the electronic journal data into the first storage medium fails, the data writing means reads again from beginning the electronic journal data stored in the buffer means and writes the read electronic journal data into a new storage medium. As described above, since the electronic journal data is maintained when the writing thereof into the storage medium fails, it is possible to write it into a new storage medium.
It may be arranged that the buffer means stores a plurality of files and, while the electronic journal data is written into the first storage medium from one of the files, new electronic journal data is stored into another of the files. With this arrangement, even while the electronic journal data is written into the storage medium, new electronic journal data can be received into the buffer means, thereby preventing stoppage of the device. This is particularly useful when the write speed of the storage medium is low.
It may be arranged that the transaction record storing device further comprises another overwritable buffer means for storing the electronic journal data of the same contents. For realizing this, the electronic journal data of the same contents may be simultaneously stored into a plurality of buffer means in a hardware fashion, or the electronic journal data is first stored into one of the buffer means and then copied into another buffer means in a software mirroring fashion.
It may be arranged that the electronic journal data stored in the buffer means is read in sequence and written into the second storage medium and that the electronic journal data subjected to writing into the second storage medium is maintained as it is in the buffer means until a storage amount of the electronic journal data in the second storage medium reaches a predetermined value and, when the storage amount reaches the predetermined value, a first area in the buffer means storing the electronic journal data subjected to the writing into the second storage medium is released to allow new electronic journal data to be overwritten in the first area. With this arrangement, until the storage amount of the electronic journal data in the storage medium reaches the predetermined value (e.g. maximum storage capacity of the storage medium), the electronic journal data subjected to the writing Is maintained in the buffer means. Thus, even if the writing of the electronic journal data into the storage medium fails, the electronic journal data subjected to the writing is maintained in the buffer means. On the other hand, when the writing into the storage medium is successful (i.e. when the storage amount in the storage medium reaches the predetermined value), an area in the buffer means storing the electronic journal data subjected to the writing is released to allow new electronic journal data to be overwritten in that area.
It may be arranged that a storage capacity of the buffer means is set greater than a storage capacity of the second storage medium so that a second area in the buffer means other than the first area is always allowed to store new electronic journal data. With this arrangement, new electronic journal data can be always stored into the buffer means while the stored electronic journal data is written into the storage medium in sequence.
It may be arranged that when the writing of the electronic journal data into the second storage medium fails, the data writing means reads again from beginning the electronic journal data stored in the first area of the buffer means and writes the read electronic journal data into a new storage medium. As described above, since the electronic journal data subjected to the writing into the storage medium is maintained until the storage amount thereof in the storage medium reaches the predetermined value, when the writing thereof into the storage medium fails, it is possible to write the maintained electronic journal data into a new storage medium.
It may be arranged that the transaction record storing device further comprises an address managing section for managing a next write pointer for appointing a write start address of electronic journal data to be stored next into the buffer means, an output pointer for appointing a read address in the buffer means when writing electronic journal data from the buffer means into the second storage medium, and an initial value pointer for appointing a first read address in the buffer means of electronic journal data subjected to writing into the second storage medium, wherein new electronic journal data is stored into the buffer means according to the write start address appointed by the next write pointer, wherein the first read address is set to the initial value pointer when starting reading the electronic journal data from the buffer means, wherein the electronic journal data is read in sequence from the buffer means according to the read address appointed by the output pointer and written into the second storage medium, wherein the electronic journal data in the buffer means from the first read address appointed by the initial value pointer to the read address appointed by the output pointer is maintained as it is until the storage amount reaches the predetermined value, and wherein when the storage amount reaches the predetermined value, the first read address appointed by the initial value pointer is set to coincide with the read address appointed by the output pointer so that new electronic journal data is overwritable in the first area of the buffer means. With this arrangement, using the pointers, the electronic journal data can be read in sequence from the buffer means and written into the storage medium, while the electronic journal data subjected to the writing into the storage medium is maintained until the storage amount in the storage medium reaches the predetermined value, and further, when the storage amount reaches the predetermined value, new electronic journal data can be overwritten on the maintained electronic journal data.
It may be arranged that a storage capacity of the buffer means is set greater than a storage capacity of the second storage medium and that the write start address of the next write pointer is set to an address in an area other than the first area of the buffer means. With this arrangement, new electronic journal data can be always stored into the buffer means while the stored electronic journal data is written into the storage medium in sequence.
It may be arranged that when the writing of the electronic journal data into the second storage medium fails, the data writing means reads again from beginning the electronic journal data stored in the buffer means from the first read address appointed by the initial value pointer to the read address appointed by the output pointer and writes the read electronic journal data into a new storage medium. As described above, since the electronic journal data subjected to the writing into the storage medium is maintained until the storage amount thereof in the storage medium reaches the predetermined value, when the writing thereof into the storage medium fails, it is possible to write the maintained electronic journal data into a new storage medium.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transaction machine for performing transaction processing about money through manipulation by an operator, the machine comprising a transaction storing section for loading therein one of a first storage medium whose stored data is unalterable and a second storage medium which keeps its data alteration record, and for electronically recording electronic journal data about performed transaction contents into the one of the first and second storage mediums.
The transaction machine includes an automatic tellers machine installed in a bank or the like, and the transaction storing section corresponds to one of the foregoing transaction record storing devices.